Larrabee has a quiet distinction: it was Washington’s very first state park, set aside back in 1915. More than a century later it is still doing exactly what a great park should — handing you a rugged stretch of coast, a mountain at your back, and just enough effort required to keep it from getting crowded.

The shoreline

The draw is the sandstone. Centuries of wind and water have carved the rock into honeycombed shelves and tidepools, and at low tide the shore becomes its own little world of anemones, crabs, and barnacles. Clayton Beach, a short walk from the road, is the local favorite — a pocket of sand and driftwood with the islands laid out in front of you.

The mountain side

Cross the road and Larrabee climbs into the Chuckanut Mountains. Trails lead up to Fragrance Lake and Lost Lake and connect into the larger Chuckanut trail network that hikers and mountain bikers share. You can do a gentle beach stroll or a real climb to a bay-view ridge, all from the same parking lot.

Getting there

It is about twenty minutes south of Bellingham down Chuckanut Drive — which means the journey is half the reward. Bring layers, check the tide table if tidepools are the goal, and give yourself longer than you think. This is a linger-worthy place.